


It's You And Me

by alakay



Category: Madagascar (Movies)
Genre: Best Friends, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 22:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12567828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alakay/pseuds/alakay
Summary: Valentine's Day had come and gone in Africa, and it did not go how Alex had expected. When he and Marty are alone at the end of the day, the lion can't help but think about how his best friend hadn't paid any attention to him on a day that was important to him, but most importantly, he couldn't help but think about how much it hurt to see his best friend show romantic interest in somebody else. Post-Madly Madagascar.





	It's You And Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is set at the end of Valentine's Day in Madly Madagascar. I wrote and finished this in one hour and decided I should post it. Hope you enjoy! C:

Valentine’s Day had come and gone, and Alex never thought he would be so happy to see the end of the day he had once loved so much. He had expected the day to go so differently--he wanted the love and adoration that he had received in New York City, something that seemed like a lifetime ago now. However, it wasn’t just the people of New York’s love and adoration he yearned for so badly on this particular Valentine’s Day. Instead, the lion had found himself longing for the attention of his bestest and closest friend. He figured that the two would have easily ended up spending the day together, seeing as though Melman and Gloria were an established couple now and were probably going to spend the day together just the two of them. Alex thought that he and his best pal, Marty, would have done their own thing, too. That’s how it had always been, right? It was always the two of them.

So when Marty started showing an interest in the okapi who was visiting from another reserve on Valentine’s Day, Alex couldn’t help but feel confused and, if he was being honest, a little bit hurt. Why was Marty’s affection directed towards this person he barely knew instead of his best friend of many years on this particular day? And, more importantly, why was Alex so bothered by it? Perhaps it was because neither Alex or Marty had ever had any romantic partners in the past, and it was something the lion would just need to adjust to. But Alex… didn’t want it to become something that he would have to adjust to. He didn’t want Marty to show a romantic interest in anybody. He wasn’t sure why. That’s just how he wanted it to be.

The lion was so adamant in trying to convince his best friend that the love potion would not work. Again, he wasn’t sure why he was trying so hard to make sure Marty wouldn’t pursue the okapi he was suddenly so interested in. If it was any of his other friends, he would gladly encourage them to talk to the person they had a crush on! But… not Marty. Lord, not Marty. The whole thought of the zebra having romantic feelings for somebody made Alex’s heart drop into his stomach. He just hated the idea of Marty belonging to someone else--of Marty being somebody’s boyfriend. He never wanted that to happen. He just wanted it to be him and Marty forever, as a team. Just the two of them together.

How he had longed for Marty to gift him with a Valentine’s card that day. Alex had made one for him, and it was perhaps the best card he had made! He had put so much thought and effort into it, and the lion was so excited to see the look on the zebra’s face when he gave him the card. He was expecting one back, maybe one just as special--maybe even a hug! But Alex had received nothing in return, not even a glance from his best friend. He had just been told to leave it on the pile of other Valentine’s cards Marty had been given from various other animals on the reserve, and Alex’s heart ached as he came to the realization that the zebra had not made him a Valentine’s card. Of course, by the end of the day, Marty--as well as Melman and Gloria--apologised to Alex by making him numerous cards, which did help in making the lonely lion feel better, but he still felt… dissatisfied. He didn’t just want a card from Marty. He wanted something more. He was expecting something more. But he could not place his finger on what exactly that he wanted.

Everything was back to normal again in Africa after such a weird and frustrating day. Julien had learned his lesson about messing with love, and Marty was no longer being surrounded by other animals that wanted his love and attention, which Alex couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief at. Melman and Gloria had gone somewhere to spend the rest of Valentine’s Day with each other after they had had quite a troublesome day themselves, so Alex and Marty were left with just each other. They lingered around the watering hole for a little while, chatting absentmindedly, and everything seemed fine, but Alex couldn’t help but think about how hurt and upset he was after Marty didn’t seem to care about the Valentine’s Card he had made him. Of course, the zebra had made up for it, but Alex’s mind wouldn’t let sleeping dogs lie.

The lion cleared his throat and looked over at Marty for a moment, before looking over the waterhole. He took in a deep breath before speaking. “So, uh… did you… like the Valentine’s card I made you?”

Marty raised his eyebrows and chuckled awkwardly, remembering how he had not even spared it a glance when Alex had first gifted him with it. “I’m… really sorry, Al. I didn’t mean to be such an ass.”

“You were an ass.” Alex agreed, frowning but not looking at the zebra. Marty went silent for a moment, and an awkward tension began to rise between the two of them.

“The card was… great, Al. I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to look at it earlier.” The zebra said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know how much Valentine’s Day means to you, what with us being away from New York and all, and… well… I’m just sorry I wasn’t more considerate.”

Alex continued to look away from Marty stubbornly, before he sighed and looked at the zebra. “It’s okay, Marty. I guess I just… was expecting something back when I gave it to you.”

Silence fell over the two of them again. Marty was struggling to come up with something to say to Alex: an excuse, any kind of reason as to why he hadn’t looked at the card when his best friend had first gave him it, or why Marty hadn’t gave Alex a card back in the first place. But there was no excuse. Marty was just too busy enjoying the attention and affection that the other animals were giving him on that day that he didn’t even stop to think that he had potentially hurt the person that means the most to him in the world.

“Where did that okapi go?” Alex asked suddenly, looking down at his paws. “I thought she was basically your Valentine.” He tried so hard to not let his bitterness seep through his voice, he really did, but he ended up sounding a little bit more annoyed than he had hoped.

“Uh… nah,” Marty replied, laughing awkwardly, “She was cute and all, but, uh… just not the one for me, I guess. More of an attraction thing.”

“Hmph.” Alex said bluntly, frowning and looking down at the ground.

“What?” Marty asked him, his brow furrowing. “Why are you bein’ like this?”

“ _I’m_ not being like anything. _You’re_ the one that ignored me all day for a girl you barely knew!” Alex replied, a little louder than he anticipated, looking his best friend straight in the eye. Marty was quite taken aback by the outburst, his annoyance quickly turning into concern. Had he hurt Alex more than he realised?

Alex realised he had shouted at Marty, and quickly felt overcome with guilt. He sighed and rubbed his face with his paws before looking at the zebra. “I--I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay.” Marty told him, giving him a small, reassuring smile before looking away.

“I just… I thought…” the lion sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them and looking at Marty. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

“Lose me?” Concern was evident in the zebra’s voice. He knew that Alex suffered with abandonment issues, but he didn’t realise they were this severe. “What would make you think that?”

“I don’t know… it sounds dumb now that I’m saying it out loud.” Alex let out a nervous laugh, and he suddenly felt his best friend’s arm rest around his shoulders, making his heart speed up for some reason.

“You’re worryin’ me, Al. Will you just tell me what’s goin’ on in that little stressed out mind of yours?” Marty said softly. Alex looked at him and sighed once more.

“Well, I… when you ignored my Valentine’s Card after I spent a lot of time on it… and all those people were showing you attention and affection… it made me feel like… like maybe you didn’t really want me around. And you, liking that okapi… I don’t know. I’m confusing myself.” Alex shook his head with a sad smile. “You’re… my best friend, Marty. I just don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Alex’s words stunned Marty. He had never heard the lion be so sincere before--except, perhaps for that one time… back in Madagascar. Where the lion had told him that he didn’t want to hurt him when his savage instincts started to take over. Marty nearly lost Alex then. He knew exactly how it felt to almost lose somebody you cared so much about, and the fact that he had put Alex through that, although under much different circumstances… the zebra couldn’t help but instinctively wrap his arms around the lion in a tight embrace. Alex let out a small yelp of surprise, before wrapping his arms around his best friend, hugging him back tightly.

“I’m not goin’ anywhere, Ally-Al. Nothin’ and nobody is goin' to come between us.” Marty told him gently. Alex took in a deep breath of air and let it out slowly before smiling, nuzzling his face into the zebra.

He slowly began to feel stupid for even thinking that Marty would ditch him just because he had a crush on somebody else. The two best friends had been through so much together--their bond was unbreakable. But, still… Alex didn’t like the idea of Marty being with somebody in a romantic relationship, and the idea that perhaps a day would come where Marty established a relationship with somebody… well, the thought was almost too much to bear, and made Alex instinctively hold his best friend even tighter to him. He never wanted to let go.

Eventually, the two let go of each other, and they sat together in comfortable silence, looking up at the sky.

“It’s you and me, right?” Alex said, breaking the silence and causing Marty to look at the lion, who had concern written across his face. Man, this cat needed a lot of reassurance! But Marty didn’t mind. Instead, he smiled at his best friend warmly, and nodded.

“Forever and ever, pal.”

The zebra raised his hoof to the lion, and Alex clenched his paw and bumped it with a grin before playfully pushing Marty over and running away. Marty yelled after the lion while laughing and proceeded to chase him, which gained the attention of the other animals that were around them, but they didn’t care. They were solid. There was nothing in the world that could tear them apart, and that was all that mattered. 


End file.
